VideoGameCritic wrote:The original Xbox broke Microsoft into the console market in style, and the 360 put them on the top of the heap. Microsoft overplayed their hand of course, leading to a pretty dismal showing for the Xbox One so far.

As usual, they are missing the boat. Before this bastardized generation, the whole draw of console games was easy plug-and-play with minimal fuss. By muddying the waters Microsoft is making a mistake on par with the Sega of the mid-90s.

I get it - they want their console to be perpetually on the cutting edge. But who are they catering to? PC gamers? Well, those people already have their fancy rigs and probably don't need a console. And based on the reception to VR hardware so far, I don't think that's going to get them back into the race either. Games for 4K displays will definitely be a thing next generation, but right now I don't think many gamers are chomping at the bit for it.

I think most of the console gaming community is more concerned with fun than specs. That's why the Nintendo Switch (and the Wii long before it) was an unexpected hit. I like to see competition in the console market, but Microsoft has developed a habit of shooting themselves in the foot. At this rate are going to push themselves right out of console gaming.

Your thoughts?

It really cracks me up when people say "the switch is an unexpected hit". What are you talking about? There are enough Nintendo fans out there to buy anything they put out. It is far too early to tell if the Switch is going to be a hit right now. Based on what I saw the PS4 is already outselling weekly Switch sales. However, I do agree that I am not sure the approach that Microsoft is taking is the correct one. But I must say the they have been much more successful as of late selling consoles then Nintendo.

Wii U, while ultimately a commercial fiasco, actually had a halfway decent launch before it quickly imploded after Christmas with all optimism evaporating. Yet finding a brand new Wii U after launch during the height of the Christmas shopping season was pretty easy.

I'd say it's a good sign that you can't walk into a game store just yet and be guaranteed of seeing one of these on the shelves despite well over a month having passed since launch. You certainly could locate a Wii U at this point (During the Christmas season, no less) and it wasn't long after launch before the dire 3DS situation became evident and required emergency surgery to save.

Nintendo would've never taken such drastic steps with the 3DS if the first several months were essentially freebies (An $80 price cut, wasn't it?), with rabid Nintendo fanboys as guaranteed sales by the millions.